misteroverland

Sandblasting!Our last stop in Botswana unbeknown to us was Kubu Island. This had been recommended by numerous people as a very stunning and spiritual place as it’s been used for thousands of years by the local tribes for initiation ceremony’s of various sorts. Sadly for us our only initiation was to an African sand storm that blew in over the salt pans leaving us looking like we had been coated by a giant icing sugar shaker. Dinner was a luxurious salami, cheese and crackers huddled in the tent – see it’s not all blue skies and sunshine. We were expecting to spend another night in Botswana but following the heat and dust of the past weeks and feeling rather sand blasted from the night before we headed for Zambia and the rains!

 

 
Officialdom 

So far border crossings have been mixed but fairly easy. Crossing to Namibia the official was convinced we had diamonds so proceeded to check every nook and cranny he could find including making us unpack the contents of the back of the car, not difficult but a royal pain in the backside. Leaving Namibia we found ourselves being sent back from Botswana for more stamps for MrO. Botswana on a whole was hugely efficient and uneventful but entering Zambia was a whole new ball game. We were immediately hassled by ‘fixers’, between their persistent nature and our wariness this did not start well though once we consulted an official and confirmed the significant taxes and insurance required to be released from the border we soon got the process moving. Shortly after we had been relieved of several thousand kwacha we were making our way towards Livingstone. What a change from the bone dry deserts of Botswana. We also found ourselves slaloming down the road weaving in and out of giant pot holes while also trying to avoid the oncoming vehicles doing the same. While Zambia fits the western image of poverty stricken Africa the smiles on people’s faces tell a very different story and are a far cry from the hassles of the border crossing.  

We spent some time in Livingstone doing a re supply and a slight re plan of our next stop following some great conversations with the staff at N’kwazi camp, as the rains are late some of the western areas which would normally be flood were still accessible. We also treated ourselves to a microlight flight over the falls and a swim on the edge. The swim took place in Devils pools where you swim up to a small pool just before the edge then the guide holds your leg while you peer over the ledge into the roaring turbulent waters below. Sounds scarier than it was even for someone who doesn’t like heights. 

Our change of plans meant we headed west from Livingstone, previously we didn’t think we would see this area at all given all you read about the seasonal flooding and accessibility issues. First stop South Kafue National park, the North and South together are the size of Wales which starts to put into perspective some of the distances we are now covering. We saw various antelope including the black lechwe in the park though it was the scenery that was just spectacular with dense forest and flood plains, what a contrast to a week before. In the park is a wonderful elephant orphanage where we were treated to walk around and time with the head keeper. What we are really starting to find with Zambia is the openness of people to talk to you about everything from culture and politics to animal conservation and poaching. One of the little elephants had had such trauma as a baby that he stopped growing and even though now aged 5 he was the same size as an 18 month old. Just goes to show how humanistic these animals are. 

Zambia has come a long way since the guide book we have was written which often talks about the poor quality of the roads though these are slowly being upgraded but every now and again you get a bad section. We encountered one of these on departing the park with a 100km of pot holed torture for us and MrO. We continued further west to Luiwa Plains, at this time of year the wilderbeast migration is on the go with 30000 animals moving into the park and towards the new grass at the same time with a significant proportion of them having young. Here the lions were wiped out from poaching and are still being reintroduced so in the mean time the spotted hyenas have risen to the top of the food chain. We were blessed with one coming to sniff out our steak cooking on the braai one evening, as they are rather cowardly a shine of the torch and clapping and hollering meant we didn’t lose our dinner. Had that been a lion I am not sure we would have been as brave. While this park is way out to the west seeing the wilderbeast and zebra in the numbers we have has been stunning. Coming out of the park MrO sprung a small hose leak requiring some bush mechanics from Kevin which held for the 500kms to Lusaka. 

So far we are loving Zambia, everyone is so friendly always wanting to find out where you are from and where you are going, quick with smiles and waves. In the rural communities every household it seems has a road side stall selling whatever they are growing, right now mangoes are in season – by the truck load. The trees are dripping with them and most people are walking along eating one. We stopped to buy some, 5 costing the equivalent of 10p. The very lovely gentleman tried his best to get me to buy the whole sac, enough mangoes to fill a bath!

Arriving in Lusaka we were on a mission; get MrO sorted, get some meat and other provisions and get the hell out. Like most capital cities it has its own pulse often at odds to the rest of the country. The traffic and people were swarming everywhere with a craziness that was polar opposite to our recent days in relative isolation. Thankfully our saviour came in the form of Harry, in the relative calm of his workshop him and Skara had a new hose fitted in no time, well that is after the 3 hours spent sourcing one in the city. Harry insisted that we come and camp in his garden an offer hard to decline especially with a home cooked meal attached. What a wonderful evening spent talking to local people about real life in Zambia.